The present invention relates generally to a simple, low-cost method and device for presenting a known amount of a volatile or semi-volatile chemical material to a chemical detector, thus enabling an end user to quickly verify that a chemical detector is functioning properly or to calibrate the chemical detector.
Commercial chemical vapor detectors are commonly used to identify the presence and quantity of specific chemicals. Some chemical detectors may, for example, pull a sample of ambient air into the detection system for analysis. Test samples with known composition are important for verifying that the chemical detectors are functioning properly. Methods and devices for verifying and calibrating such chemical detectors are necessary in a variety of industries, including the defense, homeland security, environmental monitoring, industrial monitoring and health related industries.
Known methods for generating well characterized gas concentration samples to test the chemical detectors are typically costly, time-consuming and difficult to use without prior experience. These traditional methods do not allow a user to test a chemical detector at a point of use where it is critical for a soldier or a first responder to ensure that chemical detectors are operational and will alarm in the presence of toxic chemical vapors.